Sedum plant named ‘Yellow Xenox’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Yellow Xenox’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; basally branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; attractive light yellow green-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hylotelephium spectabile.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yellow Xenox’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant, botanically known as Hylotelephium spectabile and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yellow Xenox’.

The new Sedum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new strong and healthy Sedum cultivars with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Sedum plant originated from a cross-pollination during the summer of 2005 in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, of Sedum telephium ‘Xenox’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,888, as the female, or seed, parent with Sedum telephium ‘Sunkissed’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,927, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Sedum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands during the summer of 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sedum plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since the summer of 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Sedum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sedum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yellow Xenox’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yellow Xenox’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Basally branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Attractive light yellow green-colored flower.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Xenox’, primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Xenox’ have orange white to greyed yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Sunkissed’ primarily in leaf color as plants of ‘Sunkissed’ have green to yellow green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of Sedum telephium ‘Bronco’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,085. Plants of the new Sedum and ‘Bronco’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum are more compact than plants of         ‘Bronco’.     -   2. Plants of the new Sedum and ‘Bronco’ differ in leaf         coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Sedum plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Sedum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yellow Xenox’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Yellow Xenox’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Yellow Xenox’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, under commercial practice during the late summer in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 6° C. to 18° C. Plants used in the photographs and description were two years old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Yellow Xenox’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Sedum telephium ‘Xenox’, disclosed             in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,888.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Sedum telephium ‘Sunkissed’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,927. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 to 20 days at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About two months at             16° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Moderately thick and moderately fleshy;             white to medium brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; moderately             dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and compact             plant habit; broad inverted triangle; moderately vigorous             growth habit; freely basally branching habit with about four             basal branches developing per plant; dense and bushy growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.8 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 19.8 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 9.8 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 4.8 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 187A; at the             nodes, close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 7.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Bluntly acute to rounded.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Irregularly and shallowly dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 137A and             147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Between 147A and darker than             N189A; strongly tinged with close to N186C; venation, close             to N186C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to             191A; venation, close to N186C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Small rotate flowers arranged in terminal             compound cymes; flowers face upright to slightly outward;             freely flowering habit with about 1,600 flower buds and             flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering during             August and September in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 144A, strongly tinged with             close to 183A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 8.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 6 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base. Length: About 6 mm. Lobe             width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 145D; towards the apex, close to 146A to 146B. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146C to             146D; towards the apex, close to 146A to 146B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at the base. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 187A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 40° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200C             flushed with close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             ten. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             4D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong, flattened. Anther length:             About 0.7 mm. Anther color: Close to 42B. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12B. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: Five. Pistil length: About 4.5 mm. Stigma shape:             Pointed. Stigma color: Close to 22A. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: Close to 1A. Ovary color: Close to 1A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Sedum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sedum have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain and wind. Plants of     the new Sedum tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and are     winter hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5. 

1. A new and distinct Sedum plant named ‘Yellow Xenox’ as illustrated and described. 